Containerized workflow engines executing metadata for user-defined applications

Abstract

Containerized workflow engines executing metadata for user-defined applications are described. A system utilizes user selections for configuring a user-defined application to identify application definition metadata. The system stores the application definition metadata for the user-defined application into a persistent storage. A workflow engine executes in a software container in response to receiving user context details and an invocation of the user-defined application. The workflow engine retrieves the application definition metadata from the persistent storage. The workflow engine inputs the user context details and executes the application definition metadata. The workflow engine outputs a result based on executing the application definition metadata.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for containerized workflow engines executing metadata for user-defined applications, the system comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions, which when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
 identify, based on user selections for configuring a user-defined application, application definition metadata; 
 store the application definition metadata for the user-defined application into a persistent storage; 
 retrieve, by a workflow engine executing in a software container, the application definition metadata from the persistent storage, in response to receiving user context details and an invocation of the user-defined application; 
 execute, by the workflow engine, the application definition metadata thereby executing the user-defined application that was configured based on the application definition metadata, wherein the metadata executing is based on inputting the user context details; and 
 cause to be outputted, by the workflow engine, a result based on executing the application definition metadata. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , comprising further instructions, which when executed, cause the one or more processors to deploy the workflow engine to the software container, of a plurality of software containers, in a cloud computing environment. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the application definition metadata comprises input parameters. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , wherein executing the application definition metadata comprises inputting the input parameters. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein executing the application definition metadata comprises using the user context details, comprising at least one of user authentication data and user authorization data, to access a database record and at least one of create, read, update, or delete the database record. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein executing the application definition metadata comprises invoking another user-defined application. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the workflow engine is exposed as a microservice. 
     
     
       8. A computer program product comprising computer-readable program code to be executed by one or more processors when retrieved from a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the program code including instructions to:
 identify, based on user selections for configuring a user-defined application, application definition metadata; 
 store the application definition metadata for the user-defined application into a persistent storage; 
 retrieve, by a workflow engine executing in a software container, the application definition metadata from the persistent storage, in response to receiving user context details and an invocation of the user-defined application; 
 execute, by the workflow engine, the application definition metadata thereby executing the user-defined application that was configured based on the application definition metadata, wherein the metadata executing is based on inputting the user context details; and 
 cause to be outputted, by the workflow engine, a result based on executing the application definition metadata. 
 
     
     
       9. The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the program code includes further instructions to deploy the workflow engine to the software container, of a plurality of software containers, in a cloud computing environment. 
     
     
       10. The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the application definition metadata comprises input parameters. 
     
     
       11. The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein executing the application definition metadata comprises inputting the input parameters. 
     
     
       12. The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein executing the application definition metadata comprises using the user context details, comprising at least one of user authentication data and user authorization data, to access a database record and at least one of create, read, update, or delete the database record. 
     
     
       13. The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein executing the application definition metadata comprises invoking another user-defined application. 
     
     
       14. The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the workflow engine is exposed as a microservice. 
     
     
       15. A computer-implemented method for containerized workflow engines executing metadata for user-defined applications, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 identifying, based on user selections for configuring a user-defined application, application definition metadata; 
 storing the application definition metadata for the user-defined application into a persistent storage; 
 retrieving, by a workflow engine executing in a software container, the application definition metadata from the persistent storage, in response to receiving user context details and an invocation of the user-defined application; 
 executing, by the workflow engine, the application definition metadata thereby executing the user-defined application that was configured based on the application definition metadata, wherein the metadata executing is based on inputting the user context details; and 
 causing to be outputted, by the workflow engine, a result based on executing the application definition metadata. 
 
     
     
       16. The computer-implemented method of  claim 15 , wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises deploying the workflow engine to the software container, of a plurality of software containers in a cloud computing environment. 
     
     
       17. The computer-implemented method of  claim 15 , wherein the application definition metadata comprises input parameters, and executing the application definition metadata comprises inputting the input parameters. 
     
     
       18. The computer-implemented method of  claim 15 , wherein executing the application definition metadata comprises using the user context details, comprising at least one of user authentication data and user authorization data, to access a database record and at least one of create, read, update, or delete the database record. 
     
     
       19. The computer-implemented method of  claim 15 , wherein executing the application definition metadata comprises invoking another user-defined application. 
     
     
       20. The computer-implemented method of  claim 15 , wherein the workflow engine is exposed as a microservice.